PM Modi in Paris highlights: PM Modi and Emmanuel Macron arrive in Marseille after India-France CEO Forum

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Marseille on Tuesday ahead of their engagements in the city.

In Marseille, they will visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, a significant international collaboration in nuclear fusion research. In a tribute to historical ties, the Prime Minister will also visit the Mazargues War Cemetery to honor Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the World Wars.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a delightful encounter with US Vice President JD Vance and his family in Paris on Tuesday, where they celebrated a special occasion - the birthday of Vance’s son, Vivek. 

PM Modi expressed his joy in joining the celebration and described having a “great conversation” with the Vance family.

“Had a wonderful meeting with US Vice President JD Vance and his family. We had a great conversation on various subjects. Delighted to join them in celebrating the joyous birthday of their son, Vivek!” PM Modi wrote in a post on X.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said the digital era calls for trust and transparency as he addressed the inaugural session of the 14th India-France CEO Forum on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit here.

Talking about the summit, the plenary session of which was co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, Jaishankar said, “The digital era calls for trust and transparency.” “These are indeed shared attributes between us. The summit is a reminder in itself of how much we could be doing in AI, software development and cyber security. 2026 has been designated the India-France year of innovation,” the external affairs minister said.

Jaishankar began his address by saying that India and France are two nations with a tradition of independent mindsets.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met U.S. Vice President J D Vance and his Indian-origin wife Usha on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in Paris on Tuesday.

In a video shared by PMO India, the prime minister was seen holding bilateral talks with Vance, while his wife watched on.

PM Modi, addressing the 14th India - France CEO Forum, urges private investment highlighting “new generation reforms” that have been introduced in the recently presented FY26 Union Budget. 

Speaking on investment opportunities in India, PM Modi at the 14th India - France CEO Forum noted that India is soon going to become the third-largest economy in the world. 

Ahead of his bilateral meeting with French President Macron, PM Modi addressed the 14th India - France CEO Forum. He congratulated Mr. Macron on the AI Action Summit

The European Union will provide 50 billion euros ($51.6 billion) of EU funds to bolster the bloc’s artificial intelligence ambitions, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday, as countries race to lead in the technology.

The EU funds will top up the European AI Champions initiative, spearheaded by venture capitalist General Catalyst, which has drawn pledges of 150 billion euros of private investment so far, from the likes of Airbus, ASML , Siemens, Infineon, Philips , Mistral and Volkswagen.

“Thereby we aim to mobilise a total of 200 billion euros for AI investments in Europe,” von der Leyen told the Paris AI Summit.

The EU funding is significantly less, however, than the up to $500 billion of U.S. private sector investment announced by President Donald Trump last month for AI infrastructure.

- Reuters

The ongoing AI Action Summit in Paris has added yet another aspect to the “growing India-France strategic partnership”, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.

At a briefing held on the Prime Minister’s visit to France, Misri shared details about his broader engagements and the expected deliverables from the summit.

“The (AI Action) Summit adds yet another aspect to growing India-France strategic partnership,” the foreign secretary said.

He further said that in keeping with the India-France track record of cooperation in a number of areas, such as space, defence, nuclear and critical technologies, “it is only natural that we cooperate in the AI sphere as well”.

In his address at the summit, Modi made a strong case for collective efforts to establish a global framework for artificial intelligence (AI) based on open source which enhances trust, transparency and is free from biases.

Modi said that AI is changing the polity, economy, security and society and is “writing the code for humanity in this century”.

“We are at the dawn of the AI age that will shape the course of humanity,” he said.

“Some people worry about machines becoming superior in intelligence to humans. But, no one holds the key to our collective future and shared destiny other than us humans. That sense of responsibility must guide us,” he added.

- PTI

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing said China is willing to work with other countries to safeguard security and share achievements in the field of artificial intelligence to build “a community with a shared future for mankind”.

Zhang made the remark at an AI summit in Paris on Monday, state media Xinhua news agency reported.

The political slogan building “a community with a shared future for mankind” is core to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s foreign diplomatic policy as China strives to deepen its relations with other partner-countries based on this sense of a shared global mission.

- Reuters

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered to host the next AI Action summit in India.

In his concluding remarks at the summit which he co-chaired with French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr. Modi said that the discussions have clearly brought out that there is “unity in vision and unity in purpose across stakeholders.” Observing that the partnership for AI is truly global in nature, Modi said, “To build on the momentum of this Action Summit, India would be happy to host the next Summit.” France is hosting the first global AI Action Summit.

The Prime Minister also welcomed the decision to set up the ‘AI Foundation’ and the ‘Council for Sustainable AI’ at the summit.

Mr. Modi congratulated France and President Macron for these initiatives and assured him of full support.

“We must also make the “Global Partnership for AI” truly global in nature. It should be more inclusive of the Global South and its priorities, concerns and needs,” Mr. Modi said.

- PTI

A UK government spokesperson Tuesday cited “national interest” for Britain not signing the final statement at an international AI summit in Paris.

“You’d only ever expect us to sign up to initiatives that we judge to be in our national interest,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman told reporters after Britain and the United States did not back the closing declaration.

- AFP

India will host the next international summit on artificial intelligence after co-hosting with France in Paris on Monday and Tuesday, President Emmanuel Macron’s office said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier told attendees in Paris’s opulent Grand Palais that India would “be happy to host the next AI summit” on its territory.

- AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday there was a “need for rules” to govern artificial intelligence, in an apparent rebuff to US Vice President JD Vance who had criticised excessive regulation.

“We need these rules for AI to move forward,” Macron said at a Paris summit shortly after Vance spoke there. Macron insisted on the “need to continue advancing international governance” of the technology, after Vance blasted European efforts at regulation.

- AFP

The United States and the United Kingdom have not signed the Paris AI Summit’s declaration entitled ‘Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence’.

The communique states among priorities that “ensuring AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy, taking into account international frameworks for all” and “making AI sustainable for people and the planet.”

The US and Britain did not immediately explain their reasons for not being signatories.

The Elysee said it was possible that more countries could sign onto the declaration in the hours after the event. 

- Reuters

Europe will invest an additional 50 billion euros ($51.6 billion) to bolster the bloc’s artificial intelligence ambition, European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday.

It will come on top of the European AI Champions Initiative, that has already pledged 150 billion euros from providers, investors and industry, Ms. von der Leyen told the Paris AI Summit.

“Thereby we aim to mobilise a total of 200 billion euros for AI investments in Europe,” she said.

Ms. Von der Leyen said investments will focus on industrial and mission-critical technologies.

-Reuters

U.S. Vice-President JD Vance warned global leaders and tech CEOs at a Paris summit on artificial intelligence on Tuesday that “excessive regulation” would kill the rapidly growing AI industry.

In his first foreign trip as Vice-President, Mr. Vance also said the Trump administration will “ensure that AI systems developed in America are free from ideological bias,” and that the United States would “never restrict our citizens’ right to free speech.”

AI Action Summit: Vance rails against ‘excessive regulation’ of Artificial Intelligence

U.S. VP JD Vance warns against excessive AI regulation at Paris summit, highlighting global differences in AI governance.

“Hostile adversaries have weaponised artificial intelligence to surveil and censor people, but the United States will block those efforts to undermine AI and will close off ways for them from obtaining capabilities to threaten people,” U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said on Tuesday.

Mr. Vance, speaking at the AI summit in Paris, did not specify which countries he was alluding to. 

-Reuters

“India is building its own large language model considering our diversity. We also have a unique public-private partnership model for pooling resources like computer power. It is made available to our startups and researchers at an affordable cost. 

“India is ready to share its experience and expertise to ensure that AI future is for good and for all.

“Some people worry about machines becoming superior in intelligence to humans. But no one holds the key to our collective future and shared destiny other than us humans. That sense of responsibility must guide us,” said Mr. Modi in his address.

-ANI

“Governance is also about ensuring access to all, especially in the Global South. It is where the capabilities are most lacking be it power, talent, or data for the financial resources. 

AI can help transform millions of lives by improving health, education, agriculture and so much more. It can help create a world in which the journey to sustainable development goals becomes easier and faster. To do this, we must pull together resources and talent.”

-ANI

“We must develop open source systems that enhance trust and transparency. We must build quality data centres free from biases, we must democratise technology and create people centre applications. We must address concerns related to cyber security, disinformation and deepfakes. We must also ensure that technology is rooted in local ecosystems for it to be effective and useful. 

Loss of jobs is AI’s most feared disruption, but history has shown that work does not disappear due to technology, only its nature changes. We need to invest in skilling and re-skilling our people for an AI-driven future.”

-ANI

“AI is developing at an unprecedented scale and speed and being adapted and deployed even faster. There is also a deep interdependence across borders. Therefore, there is a need for collective global efforts to establish governance and standards that uphold our shared values, address risks, and build trust. 

“But governance is not just about managing rifts and rivalries. It is also about promoting innovation and deploying it for the global good. So we must think deeply and discuss openly about innovation and governance,” said Mr. Modi.

-ANI

Addressing the AI Action Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, Narendra Modi said:

“AI is already reshaping our economy, security and even our society. AI is writing the code for humanity in this century.”

-ANI

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India and France have emphasised on the need for democratised access to Artificial Intelligence (AI) resources and capacity building while recognising the importance of the techno-legal frameworks. 

Addressing a roundtable session in Paris through videoconferencing, principal scientific advisor to the government of India, Ajay Kumar Sood, said India and France need to synergise on various policy positions and technological initiatives, fostering benefits not only at the bilateral level, but also on a global scale by leveraging complementary knowledge and skill sets.

The roundtable was held on the Sciences Po campus in Paris University on Monday on the margins of the AI Action Summit, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will co-chair with French President Emmaneul Macron on Tuesday. 

Mr. Sood said India’s priorities in global AI policy and governance include responsible AI development and deployment, equitable benefit sharing, adoption of a techno-legal framework for AI governance, interoperable data flows, and collaboration on AI safety, research and innovation. 

PTI

India and France are set to make major announcements in the areas of defence, Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and also adopt a France-India roadmap on Artificial Intelligence (AI), during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three day visit to France early next week. The deal for 26 Rafale-M fighter jets for the Indian Navy is expected to be announced during the visit and concluded later in India, it has been learnt. 

The bilateral component of the visit will begin in the afternoon of February 11 with a CEO roundtable to be co-chaired by both leaders. After that, Mr. Modi will travel South of France to Marseille, where India is opening a consulate, and the bilateral talks are scheduled to take place there followed by a private dinner.

On February 12, Mr. Modi will visit the war cemetery and pay tributes to Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in World War-I. He will also visit Cadarshe, the site international thermal nuclear experimental reactor. 

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has met his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot here and the leaders discussed wide-ranging cooperation between both countries with a focus on AI, innovation and also on regional and global developments.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a three-day visit to France. He will co-chair the AI Action Summit with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. 

“A pleasure meeting FM @jnbarrot in Paris this evening. Discussed our wide-ranging cooperation with a focus on AI & innovation, connectivity and clean energy. Also spoke about regional and global developments,” Mr. Jaishankar posted on X on Monday. 

During his three-day visit to France, Mr. Modi will co-chair the AI Action Summit with Macron in Paris, hold bilateral talks with him, and address business leaders. 

Representing the Global South in the Paris AI Action Summit, broadening consular and diplomatic ties, and nuclear research are some of the items on the agenda of Mr. Modi’s visit to France, an official statement said on Monday. 

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